daniel

True enough, but everytime I read profile on another US serviceman (or woman), he or she has joined because there he didn't have the money to go to college and the Armed Forces is the best way to get that income and experience. We would want our defence to compose of people truly willing to give their lives in exchange for nothing (except maybe national security) instead of people who join out of desparation. And now, the United States is considering conscription and/or bringing in the reserves. Having said that, people continue to perform exceptionally in difficult times. Just ask any war veteran from WWI or WWII, otherwise just ordinary people.

There's more Canada-bashing than anybody seems to care to admit. I don't need to supply proof, just read all the postings. About this particular one, which is related to Maher Arar, you all find the treatment acceptable? That the RCMP turned over information about Maher Arar to the US? That the US kidnapped the man? That Homeland Security's reach crosses international borders? That Syria (whom the US had noted harbours terrorists) cooperated with the US? That all of this is legitimate under the Patriot Act? And the only blame you find is with those Canadians who question American antics?

Don't say "Free". Nothing is free. The cost of our health care is included in the taxes that we pay thereby making it accessible to all who need it. So it goes, when taxes are cut, so must funding to relevant services such as healthcare.

Was quickly changing TV stations yesterday night when I just noticed on City TV a movie to be aired called "Saving Jessica Lynch". Speculating, I can only imagine two possible endings. Possible ending number one: Bang!! Rat-tat-tat-tat. (Gunfire and explosions). Bang (Hospital door kicked down) US GI: Freeze!! Where's Private Lynch!!! Iraq scum: Die you Western Infidel. Bang!! Rat-tat-tat-tat. (Gunfire and explosions). Iraq scum drops dead. Female voice: Over here. US GI: US Marines, you're safe now. The End. Possible ending number two: Vroom, screech. Knock, knock. Iraqi nurse answers door: Yes may I help you? US GI: We're looking for Private Jessica Lynch. Iraqi nurse: She's recovering right now, please wait while we get her ready. US GI: Thank you. Five minutes later Jessica Lynch come out in a wheel chair. Jessica: Hi, guys. It's good to return home. The End.

I guess you don't read the ones that prove it was unjustified.

Don't all right wingers know what collateral damage is?

Collateral damage. There, does that make you right-wingers feel better about abortion?

Don't you wish every nation on Earth had a military budget like the United States' ? I wonder if that would be the answer to all the world's problems.

Exactly, where did I state that? Please provide proof. (Not implied but the actual smoking gun.)

Nothing has changed except technology.

It may appear that way but it was only a few years back, when gays were still being beaten up because they were gay. It took a lot of political pressure to make the police look at gay-bashing as serious assault. There may still be alot of rights and issues that gays don't have as compared to the rest of us and we'll never know what they are unless they continue to be vocal about it. About marriage: There are rights that married people have that common-law people don't have (consult a lawyer because I don't readily know them). So if gays aren't allowed to marry, then they'll never have those rights either inspite of their mutual consent to marry. Actually, the most powerful group is politicians. No other group can change laws (and therefore change your life, death, before and after with a stroke of a pen. They can also give themselves more rights and priviledges simply by consulting amongst themselves. What other group can give you a tax deduction because of your donations to them? Not any charity I know - they offer tax credits.

The US spends $1.1billion a day on defence. Four percent of that alone can elimate world hunger. And you want Canada to normalize it's defence spending to that amount?? I think it is the US who ought to normalize so that we can focus on the other world problems. But like I said, our two countries have different priorities and no other country can or should lecture another about internal policy issues.

I was asking how your experience determined that conspiracy theorists are "quacks". Show us your credentials, and prove they are all quacks.

When you don't know what the truth is how do you know who the quacks are? Take a look at any post in this web site. Right wing or left wing, any government or opposition from any jurisdiction is subject to attack. Who really knows what the truth is. It looks as though you hold the truth. So prove the official versions were the truth: 1) Kennedy Assassination; 2)John Lennon Assassination; 3)Princess Diana's car accident; 4) 9-11 5) WMD in Iraq And then let the rest of the posters here determine if your evidence is proof.

How far to the right do you lean? Both the government (under Martin budgets) and the majority of opposition seats are right-wing parties. I certainly agree we must restore our basic values. There's been too much budget cuts and right-wing policies in the past 15years.

I would hope that we elect governments to behave like diplomatic world leaders working towards the benefit of all instead of governments to behave like street vigilantes.

I think Jesus existed as a man who challenged the authority and common thought of the day. He preached stories about morality the same as Aesop did. Naturally, the authorities didn't like to be challenged nor were open to it and you might say, as a commoner, Jesus did step over the line a few times. For example, when Jesus went into the Temple and made some statement with "...my temple..." in it, that would be equivalent to any one of us stepping right into the Chambers of Parliament and claiming it was ours. In fact, it is but we don't have the authority to manage it. I don't believe he claimed that we was directly the son of God any more than he would acknowledge all people were the children of God. When he died, his worshippers and followers created a stigma that turned him into a demigod. You can do the same thing today with any famous dead person. All you have to do is come up with some pretty good slogans and keep on repeating them until they are believed. Examples are: WMDs, Common Sense Revolution, Tax-cuts, etc, etc. And with people, you can turn anybody into a saint or a demigod: Princess Diana, John Lennon, JFK, Mother Teresa etc. You just have to paint an extraordinary picture of person's life and achievements. No, Jesus was not a fraud. Maybe his handlers were.

I tried to look for it yesterday and ended up watching Marketplace instead about Grand Theft Auto. I just picked up a new car!! Should I have waited to 2005 for the key immobilizer? About the Fifth Estate that'll be on tonight, dare we guess what it'll report and what each of our reactions will be?

Apparantly, Greg doesn't find anything wrong with Alliance Fanatic's post.

The next time you cross the border, check out the price tags of various common items. You'll see that lots of common everyday items have the same price tag - go see for yourself if you don't believe me. So converting the Cdn dollar to US or vice versa, American products in the US is 30% more than the Canadian equivalent in Canada.

Which is why we have a surplus (if it's really true). Our spending priorities are that we don't like to keep throwing money at money losing ventures such as world domination.

The average wage in the US is 30 % higher. True, but is offset by the cost of living. Common items in major Canadian cities have the same price tag as in major US cities. So Americans pay 30% more for the same items Canadians pay. The cost of living depends on where you live. True. Furthermore, the most expensive Canadian city to live in is still cheaper than many US cities. The Standard of living in the US is 35 % above that of Canada. So is the wage disparity between rich and poor. No doubt the same proof as those supplied to Colin Powell at the UN.

Has anybody read End of Work by Jeremy Rifkin? I think that in the future (don't know how long - 1000years?) there will no longer be countries but that we are only citizens to corporations. There will be health care, dental care, education, housing etc except only through group insurance and employee plans and programs.

Don't know what that breaking point will be but there is one. The fact that we have regular elections is a good relief valve. The unfortunate thing is the people being replaced end-up exactly the same. (So don't hold your breath that the united right will save Canada, one of the raison d'etre of the Reform Party was promptly rejected by Preson Manning when he became Opposition Leader.)

There goes the name calling again. So our individual tax burden is double - so what? How about the tax burden on corporations? You want to compete with places like Bhopal? Again, you have to look at the big picture. Comparing overall cost of living, you are a winner in you live in Canada for the most expensive city in Canada to live in is way cheaper than alot of other cities around the world including alot of US cities of comparable size.